Arlington welcomes with new signs

ARLINGTON — Two more large welcome signs are scheduled to greet visitors to town in early December.

A $17,000 Snohomish County tourism promotion grant funded by hotel-use taxes and a $5,400 Arlington Arts Council grant are paying for the new signs.

One is to be located at the new roundabout on Highways 9 and 531 at the south end of Arlington and the other at the entrance to the city at 172nd Street NE and Smokey Point Drive.

The new 14,000-pound welcome signs will be similar to the one located on Highway 530 at Island Crossing, which features swimming salmon art by Marguerite Goff, of Stanwood.

The Highway 9 sign features a deer design by Arlington artist Carolyn Sumpter.

The sign at Smokey Point includes a Northwest Native-style raptor by Barry Herem of Everett and design by Kathy Hastings of Camano Island

Another two signs are planned in the next year or so, said Sarah Arney of the arts council. These final signs are to be located on Highway 9 at the north entrance to Arlington and at the northeast entrance of Highway 530.

“We are raising funds for the final two signs in the year ahead, and will be looking for art elements to place on the base structures,” Arney said. “I can’t wait to see how they all look.”

Between the two new welcome signs off 172nd Street NE, the state Department of Transportation plans next summer to pave the road, which doubles as state Highway 531.

“The stretch from Highway 9 down to 43rd Street really needs attention,” said city spokeswoman Kristin Banfield. “The state also found some money to continue the design work to widen 172nd. We are grateful because this is a critical step toward getting that widening project done.”